Ratchet drive mechanism

ABSTRACT

A ratchet drive mechanism for obtaining a positive drive of a driven member in one rotative direction of the driving member and an idle or free-wheeling condition of the driven member in an opposite rotative direction of the driving member. The mechanism including a ball bearing is self-contained to be mounted as a unit in the hub of a driven member such as a wheel and upon a driving member such as a shaft. It is particularly adapted for use in such driven apparatus as in the front wheel of a child&#39;&#39;s tricycle. This is an abstract only of the specific illustration of the invention given by way of example, and is not to be used in the interpretation of the claims nor as a limitation on the scope of the invention.

D United States Patent 1 [H] 3,710,906

Setele 51 Jan. 16, 1973 54 RATCHET DRIVE MECHANISM 2,596,604 5/1952Schaeffer ..l92/46 ux [75] Inventor. gklllilam O. Setele, Independence,Primary Examiner Anan D. Herrmann Attorney-Woodling, Krost, Granger andRust [73] Assignee: Kendale Industries, Inc. 22 Filed: Sept. 30, 1971[57] ABSTRACT A ratchet drive mechanism for obtaining a positive [211App]' 18508l drive of a driven member in one rotative direction of thedriving member and an idle or free-wheeling con- [52] US. Cl ..192/46,192/64 dition of the driven member in an opposite rotative [51] Int. Cl..Fl6d 41/00 direction of the driving member. The mechanism in- [58]Field of Search ..l92/46, 64; 64/29 eluding a ball bearing isself-contained to be mounted as a unit in the hub of a driven membersuch as a [56] References Cited wheel and upon a driving member such asa shaft. It is particularly adapted for use in such driven apparatusUNITED STATES PATENTS as in the front wheel of a childs tricycle. Thisis an ab- 2,078,781 4 1937 Sprengeretal ..l92/46 x 8mm y of the Specificillustration of the inYention 2,145,083 1/1939 Dynes ..64/29 given byway of example, and is not to be used in the 2,400,818 5/1946Gallagher.... ..l92/46 interpretation of the claims nor as a limitationon the 2,410,971 I 1/1946 Hartley ..64/29 UX scope of the invention2,57l,669 lO/l95l Boyce et al. ..64/29 X 2,589,383 3/1952 Holt ..l92/46UX 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures RATCHET DRIVE MECHANISM An object of myinvention is to provide an efficient and economical ratchet drivemechanism of simple and sturdy construction.

Another object is the provision of an improved ratchet drive mechanismincluding a ball bearing assembly mountable as a unit in the hub of adriven member such as a wheel and upon a driving member such as a shaft.

Another object is the provision of a unit constructed for readyinsertion in the hub of a wheel and upon a driving shaft in the hub,including both ratchet driving means and bearing means.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of this invention may be had byreferring to the following description and claims taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

P16. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a mechanism embodying myinvention mounted in the hub of a wheel on a driving shaft, such as thedriving shaft of a tricycle;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of my mechanism looking in thedirection of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the male ratchet drive element of my mechanismshown removed from the assembly;

FIG. 4 is an edge view of the said male ratchet drive element looking inthe direction of the arrows 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the female ratchet drive element of mymechanism shown removed from the assembly; and

FIG. 6 is an edge view of the said female ratchet drive element lookingin the'direction of the arrows 6- 6 of FIG. 5.

The assembly of my ratchet drive mechanism, including a bearingassembly, is denoted generally by the reference character 11 in thedrawing. The complete unit is made up of the ratchet drive mechanism,including a ball bearing assembly, as shown mounted in the hub ofa wheelor driven member 15, a portion of which is shown in FIG. 1. I

The unit is mounted upon a driving member or shaft 12 which extendsaxially through the unit within the hub of the wheel. As a typical andillustrative use of my mechanism is its use in the front wheel of achilds tricycle driven by a shaft 12 having crank arms 13 at itsopposite ends, carrying pedals 14, show the unit assembled on such ashaft in such a wheel in FIG. 1.

The unit includes a cup-shaped metal shell 16 formed as shown with a rimportion 16A extending therearound at one end of the shell. The other endof the shell 16 is curved inwardly as illustrated.

Mounted within the shell 16 is a ball bearing assembly. This assemblyhas an outer race made up of a first or cup portion 17 and a second ordisk portion 18. The outer race made up of portions 17 and 18accommodate therein a plurality of steel balls 19 in the usual manner.The balls 19 extend circumferentially around and are accommodated in aninner race 20. This inner race 20 is keyed or splined on the shaft 12.Thus the unit is mounted on the shaft 12 by means of the ball bearingassembly as shown and described.

Mounted within the shell 16 next adjacent to the disk portion 18 is afemale ratchet drive element 21. The form and construction of theelement 21 is better shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein it is removed orseparate from the assembly. The female element 21 has four spurs orbarbs 21A formed therein adjacent its outer circumferential extent andon the forward face of the element 21. These spurs or barbs 21A areformed by lancing and upsetting metal at the four spaced locations. Thecut or free edges of the spurs or barbs 21A form abrupt abuttingsurfaces extending out from the forward surface of the element 21.

The rim 16A of the shell 16 is peened inwardly in the assembling of theunit whereby metal at the four locations indicated by the referencecharacter 16B are peened over and about the spurs or barbs 21A. Peeningover of the metal rim at locations 168 about the spurs or barbs 21Ainterlock the female element 21 against rotative movement relative tothe shell 16. Thus the peening over of the rim 16A not only secures thefemale element 21 and the disk portion 18 and cup portion 17 within theshell 16 but also interlocks the female element 21 against rotativemovement relative to the shell 16.

The female element 21 as seen in the drawing also has fourequi-distantly spaced notches or recesses 218. These notches 21B areformed by metal cut away from the element 21 and have abrupt side edgesas illustrated. The notches 21B extend radially outward of centralopening 21C which opening accommodates the inner race 20 therein at thatend of the assembly.

A male ratchet drive element 22 is mounted on and in axial alignmentwith the shaft 12. The male element 22 is shown removed or separatedfrom the assembly in FIGS. 3 and 4. The male element 22 has a bore orcentral opening 228 through which extends the shaft 12. Two slots 22C atdiametrically opposed locations are provided in the male element 22 andextend from the bore 228. The male element 22 is splined or keyed to theshaft 12 by means of two ears 12B upset from and extending radiallyoutward of the shaft 12 into the slots 22C. By this arrangement the maleelement 22 may move axially of the shaft 12 but is caused to rotate withthe shaft 12.

The male ratchet drive element 22 has four off-set teeth equi-distantlyspaced apart around its circumferential extent and protruding outwardlyfrom a face of the element 22. These teeth 22A are directed toward thefemale element 21 in such a manner that the teeth 22A may interfit inthe notches 21B and drivingly engage the side edges of the respectivenotches 218. Each tooth 22A is formed by lancing the metal of theelement 22 and upsetting the metal as indicated to form the toothextending outwardly from the plane of the face of the element 22directed toward the female element 21. As seen in the drawing the teeth22A are each formed by two cuts in the metal of the element 22 andthereupon bending the small segment formed by the two cuts so as toincline the segment at an angle to the plane of element 22. As seen inthe drawing, the teeth 22A have an inclined surface and an abruptsurface.

'Upon rotation of the male element in one rotative direction the abruptsurface is disposed to engage a side edge of a notch 218 in the femaleelement 21. However, upon rotation of the male element 22 in an oppositerotative direction the inclined surface tends to ride up in a cammingmanner over the edge of a notch 218 so as to become disengaged from therespective notch 218. The cooperation and arrangement of the male andfemale elements of other ratchet drive mechanisms are well known and thearrangement and action of the male and female drive elements 21 and 22of my mechanism will be well understood.

A spring washer 23 is mounted upon the shaft 12 next adjacent the maleelement 22 so as to bear thereagainst. Abutting means is providedby.ears 12A upset from and extending outwardly of the shaft 12. Thespring washer 23 is biased as to resiliently urge the male element 22against and in firm engagement with the female element 21 so that theteeth 22A may enter into the notches 218, respectively, upon rotation ofthe male element 22, rotating with the shaft 12, in one circumferentialdirection, However, the resilient bias of the spring washer 23 is suchthat upon the shaft 12 being rotated in an opposite circumferentialdirection, the spring washer 23 resiliently yields sufficiently topermit the teeth 22A to ride up out of, in a camming manner, therespective notches 218. Thus upon rotation of the shaft 12 in onerotative direction the wheel will be rotatively driven in the samecircumferential direction. Upon rotation of the shaft 12 in an oppositecircumferential direction, then the teeth 22A become dis-engaged fromthe notches 21B and the driving interengagement between the elements 21and 22 is terminated. In this condition the wheel 15 may be referred toas'free-wheeling or non-driven.

This means that an operator of a device such as a tricycle may cause thedevice such as a tricycle to be driven forwardly by manually rotatingthe shaft 12 through the crank arms 13 and pedals 14. However, upondiscontinuing such forward rotative action of the shaft 12 in thedescribed manner, the wheel 15 nonrotatively secured to the shell 16 isfree of driving engagement and may freely coast while the shaft 12 iseither held stationary or rotated in a reverse direction.

It will be appreciated that the unit here disclosed is readily adaptablefor many means and provides an economical, safe and efficient means forobtaining a good ratchet drive between a driving member and a drivenmember.

The present disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims,as well as that of the foregoing description.

Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with acertain degree of particularity, it is understood that the presentdisclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of exampleand that numerous changes in the details of construction and thecombination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafterclaimed;

What is claimed is:

1. A ratchet drive mechanism for the driving of a rotative driven memberconcentrically mounted on a driving member extending axially through thedriven member, comprising the combination of an annular metal shell, abearing assembly carried by the shell and mountable concentrically onsaid driving member and within said driven member, a male ratchetdriving element, a female ratchet driving element in axial alignment andin opposed interengageable relationship with said male ratchet drivingelement, a first of said elements being nonrotatively carried by saiddriving member and a second of said elements being carried by saidshell, a spring member carried by said driving member and operativelyengaging said first of the elements to resiliently bias it toward andinto driving engagement with the second of said elements, the second ofsaid elements carrying projecting means extending therefrom and saidshell being interlockingly engaged the driving member rotating in saidone rotative direction, and for the slipping non-driving of the shelland driven member carried thereby upon the disen gagement of saidelements in opposition to the resilient bias of said spring member uponrotation of the driving member in an opposite rotative direction.

2. A ratchet drive mechanism as claimed in claim I and in which the maleratchet driving element is nont rotatively mounted on said drivingmember, and in which said spring member is a cupped spring washeranchored on said driving member and concentric therewith, said washerhaving its outer peripheral edge portion engaging said male ratchetdriving element to resiliently press the same axially toward said femaleratchet driving element.

3. A ratchet drive mechanism as claimed in claim 1 and in which saidinterlockment of the shell and the projecting means carried by thesecond of said elements is provided by the metal rim of the shell peenedtoward the said second element about said projecting means. i

4. A ratchet drive mechanism adapted to be mounted concentrically upon arotative driving member and within the hub of a rotative driven memberto provide driving of the driven member in only one rotative directionby the driving member, comprising in combination an annular metal cuphaving an axial opening therethrough for accommodating said drivingmember, a ball bearing assembly carried by said cup to provide bearingsupport of one of said driving and driven members by the other, said cuphaving a rim portion at one axial end thereof, a female ratchet drivingelement carried by said cup concentrically thereof adjacent said ballbearing assembly, said rim portion of the cup being rolled inwardly overthe edge of the female ratchet driving element to retain the same, amale ratchet driving element adapted to be non-rotatively andconcentrically mounted on said driving member, said male ratchet drivingelement being disposed in opposition to said female ratchet drivingelement for engaging and rotatively driving the female ratchet drivingelement in one rotative direction upon rotation of the male ratchetdriving element by the driving member in said one rotative direction,and a spring washer adapted to be concentrically mounted on and to abutsaid driving member in position to bear resiliently against said maleratchet driving element to resiliently urge it into driving engagementwith said female ratchet driving element upon rotation of the drivingmember and male ratchet driving element in one rotative direction and topermit said male ratchet driving element to move axially out of drivingengagement with said female ratchet driving element upon rotation ofsaid driving member and male driving element in an opposite rotativedirection.

5. A ratchet drive mechanism as claimed in claim 4 and in which saidfemale ratchet driving element has spur portions extending outwardlytherefrom about the peripheral edge portion thereof, and in which saidrim portion of the cup is peened about said spur portions to interlockthe cup and female ratchet driving element against rotative movementtherebetween. I

6; A ratchet drive mechanism as claimed in claim 5 and in which saidfemale ratchet driving element is disposed within said cup radiallyoutward of the inner race of said ball bearing assembly, and in whichsaid male ratchet driving element while in driving engagement with thefemale ratchet driving element abuts said inner race of the ball bearingassembly and while out of driving engagement with said female ratchetdriving element is spaced axially from said inner race.

7. A ratchet drive mechanism for mounting on a driving shaft and withinthe hub of a driven wheel, the shaft having abutting means provided at alocation therealong, said mechanism comprising a ball bearing assemblyhaving its inner race non-rotatively and concentrically mounted on saidshaft at an axial distance from said abutting means, an outer raceconcentrically mounted on said inner race and separated therefrom by aplurality of ball bearings, a metal cup member carrying said outer raceand adapted to be non-rotatively mounted in said hub in non-rotativeengagement therewith, said cup member at one axial end extendingradially about said outer race at one axial side thereof and having arim portion extending around the cup member at the opposite axial endthereof, a female ratchet drive element disposed in said cup memberadjacent said outer race and secured within said cup member by said rimportion overlapping the outer peripheral edge portion of the femaleratchet drive element, a male ratchet drive element adapted to beconcentrically and non-rotatively mounted in said shaft next adjacentsaid inner race and disposed to face said female ratchet drive elementfor driving engagement therewith, said male ratchet drive element beingaxially movable on said shaft toward and away from said female ratchetdrive element, and a spring member adapted to be concentrically mountedon said shaft intermediate said abutting means and said male ratchetdrive element to abut against said abutting means and to resilientlybias said male ratchet drive element axially toward said female ratchetdrive element and into driving engagement therewith, said elements uponbeing interengaged causing the female element, cup member and wheel tobe driven in one rotative direction upon said shaft and male elementbeing rotated in said one rotative direction, said elements upon beingdisengaged permitting free wheeling of said female element, cup memberand wheel upon said shaft and male element being rotated in an oppositerotative and in which said interlocking of rim portion and femaleratchet drive element 15 provided y spur portions extending outwardlyfrom the female ratchet drive element and by metal of the rim portionpeened about the spur portions.

10. A ratchet drive mechanism as claimed in claim 9 V and in which saidspring member is a cupped spring washer having its inner peripheral edgeportion positioned to abut said abutting means on the shaft and havingitsouter peripheral portion positioned to bear against said femaleratchet drive element.

1. A ratchet drive mechanism for the driving of a rotative driven memberconcentrically mounted on a driving member extending axially through thedriven member, comprising the combination of an annular metal shell, abearing assembly carried by the shell and mountable concentrically onsaid driving member and within said driven member, a male ratchetdriving element, a female ratchet driving element in axial alignment andin opposed interengageable relationship with said male ratchet drivingelement, a first of said elements being nonrotatively carried by saiddriving member and a second of said elements being carried by saidshell, a spring member carried by said driving member and operativelyengaging said first of the elements to resiliently bias it toward andinto driving engagement with the second of said elements, the second ofsaid elements carrying projecting means extending therefrom and saidshell being interlockingly engaged with said projecting means to locksaid second of the elements against rotation relative to the shell, thearrangement providing for the ratchet driving of the shell and drivenmember carried thereby in one rotative direction by the interengagedmale and female ratchet elements upon the first of the elements beingrotated by the driving member rotating in said one rotative direction,and for the slipping non-driving of the shell and driven member carriedthereby upon thE disengagement of said elements in opposition to theresilient bias of said spring member upon rotation of the driving memberin an opposite rotative direction.
 2. A ratchet drive mechanism asclaimed in claim 1 and in which the male ratchet driving element isnon-rotatively mounted on said driving member, and in which said springmember is a cupped spring washer anchored on said driving member andconcentric therewith, said washer having its outer peripheral edgeportion engaging said male ratchet driving element to resiliently pressthe same axially toward said female ratchet driving element.
 3. Aratchet drive mechanism as claimed in claim 1 and in which saidinterlockment of the shell and the projecting means carried by thesecond of said elements is provided by the metal rim of the shell peenedtoward the said second element about said projecting means.
 4. A ratchetdrive mechanism adapted to be mounted concentrically upon a rotativedriving member and within the hub of a rotative driven member to providedriving of the driven member in only one rotative direction by thedriving member, comprising in combination an annular metal cup having anaxial opening therethrough for accommodating said driving member, a ballbearing assembly carried by said cup to provide bearing support of oneof said driving and driven members by the other, said cup having a rimportion at one axial end thereof, a female ratchet driving elementcarried by said cup concentrically thereof adjacent said ball bearingassembly, said rim portion of the cup being rolled inwardly over theedge of the female ratchet driving element to retain the same, a maleratchet driving element adapted to be non-rotatively and concentricallymounted on said driving member, said male ratchet driving element beingdisposed in opposition to said female ratchet driving element forengaging and rotatively driving the female ratchet driving element inone rotative direction upon rotation of the male ratchet driving elementby the driving member in said one rotative direction, and a springwasher adapted to be concentrically mounted on and to abut said drivingmember in position to bear resiliently against said male ratchet drivingelement to resiliently urge it into driving engagement with said femaleratchet driving element upon rotation of the driving member and maleratchet driving element in one rotative direction and to permit saidmale ratchet driving element to move axially out of driving engagementwith said female ratchet driving element upon rotation of said drivingmember and male driving element in an opposite rotative direction.
 5. Aratchet drive mechanism as claimed in claim 4 and in which said femaleratchet driving element has spur portions extending outwardly therefromabout the peripheral edge portion thereof, and in which said rim portionof the cup is peened about said spur portions to interlock the cup andfemale ratchet driving element against rotative movement therebetween.6. A ratchet drive mechanism as claimed in claim 5 and in which saidfemale ratchet driving element is disposed within said cup radiallyoutward of the inner race of said ball bearing assembly, and in whichsaid male ratchet driving element while in driving engagement with thefemale ratchet driving element abuts said inner race of the ball bearingassembly and while out of driving engagement with said female ratchetdriving element is spaced axially from said inner race.
 7. A ratchetdrive mechanism for mounting on a driving shaft and within the hub of adriven wheel, the shaft having abutting means provided at a locationtherealong, said mechanism comprising a ball bearing assembly having itsinner race non-rotatively and concentrically mounted on said shaft at anaxial distance from said abutting means, an outer race concentricallymounted on said inner race and separated therefrom by a plurality ofball bearings, a metal cup member carrying said outer race and adaptedto be non-rotatively mounted in sAid hub in non-rotative engagementtherewith, said cup member at one axial end extending radially aboutsaid outer race at one axial side thereof and having a rim portionextending around the cup member at the opposite axial end thereof, afemale ratchet drive element disposed in said cup member adjacent saidouter race and secured within said cup member by said rim portionoverlapping the outer peripheral edge portion of the female ratchetdrive element, a male ratchet drive element adapted to be concentricallyand non-rotatively mounted in said shaft next adjacent said inner raceand disposed to face said female ratchet drive element for drivingengagement therewith, said male ratchet drive element being axiallymovable on said shaft toward and away from said female ratchet driveelement, and a spring member adapted to be concentrically mounted onsaid shaft intermediate said abutting means and said male ratchet driveelement to abut against said abutting means and to resiliently bias saidmale ratchet drive element axially toward said female ratchet driveelement and into driving engagement therewith, said elements upon beinginterengaged causing the female element, cup member and wheel to bedriven in one rotative direction upon said shaft and male element beingrotated in said one rotative direction, said elements upon beingdisengaged permitting free wheeling of said female element, cup memberand wheel upon said shaft and male element being rotated in an oppositerotative direction.
 8. A ratchet drive mechanism as claimed in claim 7and in which said rim portion of the cup member and said female ratchetdrive element have interlocked portions resisting relative rotativemovement between the cup member and female ratchet drive element.
 9. Aratchet drive mechanism as claimed in claim 8 and in which saidinterlocking of rim portion and female ratchet drive element is providedby spur portions extending outwardly from the female ratchet driveelement and by metal of the rim portion peened about the spur portions.10. A ratchet drive mechanism as claimed in claim 9 and in which saidspring member is a cupped spring washer having its inner peripheral edgeportion positioned to abut said abutting means on the shaft and havingits outer peripheral portion positioned to bear against said femaleratchet drive element.